Stone Cold Steve Austin is considered one of the biggest legends in professional wrestling history who was arguably the biggest star of the famous Attitude Era of WWE. His rivalries with legends like The Rock, The Undertaker, Kane, and especially, with Vince McMahon. Austin is indeed one of the biggest names WWE has ever produced.
WWE faced their most difficult time period after Hulk Hogan’s departure and they desperately needed someone who could replace Hogan as the face of the promotion. Austin stepped up in this difficult situation for WWE and he helped the promotion most to master the mighty WCW and establish WWE as the biggest giant of them all.
Steve Austin’s Legacy Questioned: ‘He Couldn’t Handle the Pressure,’ Says WWE Icon
But was it really that easy for the former six times WWE World Champion to handle the pressure of being the top star of the Attitude Era. WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE World Champion Sgt. Slaughter claimed that Steve Austin “Couldn’t Handle The Pressure” On Top. Speaking with Inside The Ropes, the wrestling legend said;
“There’s this black pickup truck running with the door open and nobody there. I go to walk in and here’s Steve coming out of the hotel. He’s all fired up. He walks by me and hits my shoulder, almost knocking me over. He says ‘Try selling the Stunner next time, will you kid’.” Said the former WWE World Champion.
Slaughter continued, “The next day when I saw him I said, ‘How long have you been in the business? Stop with the attitude, you’re not Steve Austin right now, be yourself, I’m talking to you as myself. Don’t you ever do that to me again’. He said ‘I’m sorry Sarge, I’ve got a lot on my mind’ and I told him ‘Well the last thing you want to have on your mind is me because if you do that again you’re gonna have to tell some stories about it from your hospital bed, that’s not the way we do things here’.”
“From that point on he was OK. He just couldn’t handle the pressure of being the top guy, he was a nervous wreck.” Concluded the WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE World Champion Sgt. Slaughter who walked in as the WWE World Champion at WrestleMania VIII and defended the title against Hulk Hogan on the main event of the show.
Hogan was forced to retire from in ring action after WrestleMania XIX due to his neck injury. He was only 38 during that time. Unfortunately, he could not return to action until 19 long years. He made a one match return at WrestleMania 38. His retirement will always be remembered as one of the biggest loses WWE ever faced.
H/t to TJRWrestling.net